The Storyist Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Storyist in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Storyist
The Insider’s Guide
Novel and screenplay writing app for Mac and iPhone or iPad
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Storyist’s own pages.
Made by Storyist Software LLC · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Storyist’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Storyist’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 35 of the 136 other writing tools we grade
Storyist is a writing app for novelists and screenwriters that combines a word processor with story sheets, index cards on a corkboard and an outliner. It runs on macOS and iOS, and is sold as a one-time purchase on each platform with no subscription.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Storyist, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no Windows, Android or web version, and the trial length isn't stated.
- 1
Best for a one-time-purchase novel and screenplay app for Mac
Storyist is a Mac and iPhone writing app for novels and screenplays, with story sheets, a corkboard and an outliner.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $19 one-time (iOS).
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial on Mac and iOS; length not stated
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
Story sheets
Editable forms for plot, character, setting and section, which can be customized to hold the details you track.
- 6
Index cards and corkboard
Scenes appear as color-coded index cards that can be arranged, and shown beside the manuscript while you write.
- 7
Manuscript and screenplay formatting
Stylesheets and templates for manuscripts and screenplays, with quick keys for changing screenplay elements.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 35 of 136
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Storyist you could make: long-form writing and documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Storyist at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $19 one-time (iOS)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial on Mac and iOS; length not stated
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Storyist Software LLC
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a one-time-purchase novel and screenplay app for Mac
Storyist is a Mac and iPhone writing app for novels and screenplays, with story sheets, a corkboard and an outliner. The Mac version is $59 once and iOS is $19 once, bought separately. There's no Windows, Android or web version, and the trial length isn't stated.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $59 once for the Mac app, $19 once for iOS. Even both together are under a year of the writing category's middle subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A free trial exists on Mac and iOS, but the length isn't stated and there's no free plan. |
| Features | C | Story sheets, index cards, outliner, screenplay and ebook export. The iOS app has a narrower set of tools and the book editor is Mac only. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Story sheets and the corkboard take some learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac and iPhone/iPad only. Syncs through iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Storyist is for
- Fits if you write on a Mac and would rather buy once than subscribe
- Works for novelists and screenwriters who plan on index cards
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as neither is supported
- Not for you if you want one purchase for all devices, because Mac and iOS are bought separately
- Too light for iOS-only writers who need the book editor, which is described only for the Mac
- Watch out: the trial length isn't stated
Good to know
Good for
- Novelists who plan with index cards and character sheets
- Screenwriters who want Final Draft and Fountain file support
- Writers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
Worth knowing
- There is no Windows, Android or web version.
- The Mac and iOS apps are bought separately.
- Orders from the vendor's store are processed by Paddle, the merchant of record.
- The iOS app lists a narrower set of formats and tools than the Mac app, and the book editor is described only for the Mac.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19 one-time
To start
Storyist is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19 one-time (iOS).
Even both together are under a year of the writing category's middle subscription.
Storyist 4 for iOS
$19
one-time
iPhone and iPad version with index cards, outline and screenplay template; needs iOS 17 or later.
Storyist 4 for macOS
$59
one-time
Mac version with story sheets, outliner, book editor and ePub and Kindle export; also sold on the Mac App Store.
Trying it first
Free trial on Mac and iOS; length not stated
Read from storyist.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Novel and screenplay writing app for Mac and iPhone or iPad. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, documents, long-form writing.
Story sheets, index cards, outliner, screenplay and ebook export.
- Story sheets
- Editable forms for plot, character, setting and section, which can be customized to hold the details you track.
- Index cards and corkboard
- Scenes appear as color-coded index cards that can be arranged, and shown beside the manuscript while you write.
- Manuscript and screenplay formatting
- Stylesheets and templates for manuscripts and screenplays, with quick keys for changing screenplay elements.
- Book editor and ebook export
- On the Mac, builds print-ready PDFs with trim size, margins and bleed set, and creates ePub and Kindle editions.
- Import and export formats
- Handles Word, RTF, OpenDocument, Scrivener, Final Draft (.fdx) and Fountain files.
- Outliner and word-count goals
- An outliner gives a high-level view of a manuscript, and daily and project word-count goals are tracked.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- Final Draft
- Scrivener
Storyist is made by Storyist Software LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
35/136
Other writing tools it is graded above
Storyist's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 35 of the 136 other writing tools we grade, and level with 23.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 89 of 136) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 12).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 137 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Storyist’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 89 of 136
- DFree plan and trialAbove 12 of 136
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 136
- CEase of useAbove 7 of 136
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 of 136
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Storyist you could make: long-form writing and documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 78 of the 136 other writing tools grade higher. It costs $19, paid once.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and documents: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive among them.
What this rests on. Storyist’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Scrivener, Novelcrafter, Dabble, Plottr and Final Draft
The 5 tools Storyist is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- Only Scrivener lists a Windows app.
- Storyist also covers documents.
- Scrivener also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Novelcrafter
Free trial · from $4/mo
Novel writing platform with a story wiki and optional AI.
- Only Storyist lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Only Novelcrafter lists a web app.
- Storyist can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Dabble
Free trial · from $19/mo
Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync.
- Only Storyist lists an iOS app.
- Only Dabble lists a web app.
- Only Dabble lists Windows and Linux apps.
- 2.2GPA
Plottr
Free trial · from $60/yr
Visual book outlining and series bible software.
- Only Storyist lists an iOS app.
- Only Plottr lists a web app.
- Only Plottr lists a Windows app.
- 2.2GPA
Final Draft
Free trial · from $99.99/yr
Screenwriting software with automatic script formatting.
- Only Final Draft lists a web app.
- Only Final Draft lists a Windows app.
- Storyist also covers documents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Storyist free?
No, Storyist is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial on Mac and iOS; length not stated.
How much does Storyist cost?
Storyist lists 2 plans. Storyist 4 for iOS: $19 one-time.
What platforms does Storyist work on?
Storyist is available on macOS and iOS.
Does Storyist have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Storyist is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Storyist have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Storyist is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Storyist open source?
Storyist is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Storyist integrate with?
Storyist's listing names iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Final Draft and Scrivener.
Who makes Storyist?
Storyist is made by Storyist Software LLC.
What are the alternatives to Storyist?
The closest alternatives to Storyist in our directory are Scrivener, Novelcrafter, Dabble, Plottr and Final Draft.
How does Storyist compare with other writing tools?
Storyist's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 35 of the 136 other writing tools we grade, and level with 23.
Could I make my own version of Storyist?
The plain part of Storyist you could make: long-form writing and documents.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Storyist’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Storyist's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Storyist Software LLC. Prices change, so check storyist.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Storyist, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/storyist
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Storyist: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/storyist
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/storyist/guide
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Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Storyist’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Storyist is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Storyist Software LLC. Prices and plans change: check storyist.com before you buy.